Page 4 - Arkansas Bound 2015

Arkansas Tech University
1605 Coliseum Drive • Russellville • www.atu.edu • 800-582-6953
HISTORY
Founded in 1909, Arkansas Tech University has a rich and accomplished history spanning more than a century. The same principles of academic excellence and personal attention that shaped the university during its first 100 years continue to guide its focus, allowing Arkansas Tech to pro- vide a complete college experience for generations to come.
Arkansas Tech has experienced a 183 percent increase in enrollment since 1997, more than $250 million investment in campus improvements since 1995 and an impressive record of accomplishments by its students, faculty, staff and alumni.
OVERVIEW
Recognized as one of the 10 fastest-growing master de- gree-granting institutions of higher learning in America each of the past two years, Arkansas Tech has an enrollment of 12,003 students. The university offers more than 100 degree programs in fields as varied as business, liberal and fine arts, systems science, education and physical and life science.
Arkansas Tech offers the first accredited emergency- management degree program in America. Arkansas Tech was the first institution in the state and only the 24th na- tionwide to offer an accredited program in information systems, and the university’s hospitality administration pro- gram was the first in the state and 33rd in the country to earn accreditation.
Arkansas Tech offers a variety of accredited programs in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathe- matics) fields believed to be critical to the future economic development of the state.
For 16 consecutive years, record numbers of students have chosen to attend Arkansas Tech. It was little more than a decade ago that Arkansas Tech celebrated its first 5,000-student enrollment. Now the university is home to more than 12,000 students. Arkansas Tech is the third-larg- est university in the state. It also has one of the top three graduation rates among public universities in Arkansas.
The Arkansas Tech freshman class has achieved an av- erage ACT score above state and national averages in each of the past 20 years.
The student population at Arkansas Tech can be de- scribed as increasingly diverse and largely home grown. Students from minority groups represent 22.4 percent of the Arkansas Tech student body, compared to 10 percent of the student body in 2004. Among the 1,951 freshmen at Arkansas Tech in fall 2014, 1,831 (93.8 percent) were from Arkansas.
Nursing, engineering, bio-medical, agriculture, elemen- tary education and management and marketing are among the more popular major fields of study among freshmen at Arkansas Tech.
ACADEMICS
Despite its remarkable growth, Arkansas Tech has contin- ued its tradition of maintaining small class sizes and courses that are taught by highly trained faculty.
One of the hallmarks of an Arkansas Tech education is that it provides students with an opportunity to get to know their teachers and build the kind of relationship that fosters learning.
Arkansas Tech faculty attended prestigious universities such as Purdue University, the University of Southern California, Duke University, Vanderbilt University and
Arkansas Tech University not only offers a wide variety of academic programs, but also provides facilities that greatly enhance the quality of life for students at this ever growing institution.
Stanford University. More than 70 percent of Arkansas Tech’s full-time faculty members hold a doctorate or a terminal degree in their fields of emphasis.
At Arkansas Tech, learning does not stop at the classroom door. Through the Bridge to Excellence mentoring program, each freshman at Arkansas Tech is paired with a faculty or staff member who is responsible for helping that student make the transition to college life.
FACILITIES
Numerous renovations in recent years have updated existing buildings, while new construction and acquisitions have expanded the campus and its capabilities.
Progress on the Arkansas Tech campus continued in 2010 with the construction of Rothwell Hall, the 60,000-square- foot home for the College of Business and the Academic Advising Center. Arkansas Tech added a new student union, Baswell Techionery, in fall 2011.
The university opened the five-story M Street residence hall in fall 2013. Home to 290 Tech students, M Street res- idence hall is the latest improvement in residence life and another reason why almost 3,000 Arkansas Tech students choose to live on campus.
Arkansas Tech students dine in Chambers Cafeteria, which underwent an $8.7 million renovation in summer 2013. The results include 11 new serving and preparation stations on the dining room floor that provide fresh and nutritious meals in a facility that can accommodate up to 900 diners at any time.
Construction of a $16.5 million academic, student sup- port and administrative facility is ongoing. The building is scheduled to open in fall 2015.
ATHLETICS
Arkansas Tech is committed to NCAA Division II and its vision of a balance between academics and athletics. Arkansas Tech is one of nine charter members of the Great American Conference, which began competition during the 2011-12 ac- ademic year. Arkansas Tech won the GAC All-Sports Trophy in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. Arkansas Tech sponsors intercollegiate athletics programs in baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, cross country, football, men’s golf, wom- en’s golf, softball, women’s tennis and volleyball.
CAMPUS LIFE
Arkansas Tech has a wide variety of activities to suit any num- ber of tastes. Fraternities, sororities, intramural sports, concerts and free movie nights are just a few of the more popular activities for Arkansas Tech students. Jerry the Bulldog rejoined the Arkan- sas Tech family in 2013 after a 76-year absence. Jerry serves as campus ambassador and is always a popular figure at campus events. In addition to opportunities for social development, the Office of Student Services offers co-curricular programs that enhance and complement the classroom experience, and Nor- man Career Services helps Arkansas Tech students prepare for opportunities both before and after their graduation.
FINANCIAL AID
The primary purpose of the Arkansas Tech Office of Financial Aid is to provide assistance to students who, with- out aid, would be unable to attend college. All awards are administered in accordance with state and federal regula- tions and the university’s equal educational opportunity policy. Application forms for all types of federal aid may be obtained from the Office of Financial Aid in the Doc Bryan Student Services Center or online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
4K FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015 | ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE